The present invention relates generally to rotary mowers and more particularly relates to the shielding provided for the leading edge of such mowers.
Rotary mowers are commonly used to cut and shred roadside grass, underbrush and various types of agricultural crop materials. Rotary mowers used to cut agricultural row crop stalks subsequent to harvesting operations must operate over rows of stalks planted in mounds or beds and projecting from the crest of those mounds or beds. Typically planted in such rows are crops as cotton, maize, corn and sugar beets. As row crop stalks are cut by rotary mowing operations, the stalks are either bent forwardly as the mower housing advances over them or they are thrown to the side by the whirling blade. Accordingly, they are severed several inches above the bed or ground. Typically, a second cutting is then necessary to cut the stalk nearer to the ground and assure deterioration prior to the next planting season. If the height of the blade above the ground is adjusted downwardly to assure severing of the stalk adjacent the crest of the bed, it will often times contact the soil, resulting in damage to both the blade and mower drive.
Further, severed stalk material cannot be thoroughly shredded unless it is retained within the cutting chamber of the mower. Neither the chain nor rubber shielding presently provided at the forward edge of rotary mowers contain the stalks within the shredding chamber nor do they guide or support the stalk as it enters the mower to assure that it is severed closely adjacent the bed.